Education policy groups advocate for major reforms in K–12 math instruction, but disagree on long-term goals and the importance of standardized state test scores.
Proposed changes include more stringent teacher training programs and licensure requirements, better curricula, longer daily math periods, alternatives for managing elementary school classrooms with diverse ability levels, and updating high school course sequences with a greater focus on data science.
The call to arms for math professionals, noted in recent reports and meetings, follows reports of plummeting math scores at several grade levels nationwide as the 2026 state assessments loom.
The latest report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, based on 2024 state test scores, indicated that most public high school seniors earn diplomas without being proficient in math, while most 4th and 8th-grade math students perform below grade level….
Educators, Experts Grapple With How to Improve Nation’s Plummeting Math Scores
